City officials said they're ready to make an example out of more than half a dozen college kids who broke into the zoo last month and posted pictures of their activity on Facebook.

Last month, picture after picture appeared on Facebook showing students interacting with zoo animals. City officials said they breached the zoo's fence, then made their way to the sea lion habitat and even the rhinoceros cage. One picture showed someone kissing a giraffe.

Advertisement

"We've also been able to determine that these pictures were taken over the course of two separate nights," said TJ Wilham, with the city of Albuquerque.

But just having pictures does not make a case.

"We have to determine, A: did it happen here in the city of Albuquerque? You also have to prove who these individuals are and you also have to prove the time," said Wilham.

City officials said they're close to reaching an agreement with five of the eight people in the pictures.

Attorney Lisa Torraco represents four of the eight students in the photos.

"All of them are willing to take full responsibility," said Torraco. "They're just a bunch of kids that decided to go to the zoo one night and it happened to be closed, and they didn't want that to stop them."